My Dear Daring
by Joker-Cardheart
Summary: Sometimes it's the simplest of phrases that bring out the greatest emotion. A collection of random one-shots between Daring Do and my OC Joker. Rated T for safety, please read and review. Hope you enjoy the stories.
1. New Apprentice

**My Dear Daring.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own MLP:FiM or Daring Do. I do however own Joker Cardheart._

* * *

_New Apprentice_

"Give it up Ahuizotl! I have the necklace of Bokun, and you've lost! You're all alone and there's nowhere for you to run!" Daring shouted, a triumphant smirk on her face.

Ahuizotl growled, back further into the Mayan temple wall. His big cat minions were caged in his own trap just a few feet away, and he knew that despite his larger size, he was no match against a healthy Daring Do. Suddenly however, much to Daring's surprise, his growl became a dark chuckle, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You may have the necklace Daring Do, but I am not alone, soon enough you'll meet your match!" He warned.

It was at that moment that something moved out of the corner of Daring's eye. Whipping her head around she was greeted by the sight of two albino hyenas standing behind her. One wore a green collar while the other wore a black one, and both were baring their teeth at her.

Behind them stood a pony, it's features hidden by the shadows of the Mayan temple. It's green eyes stared at Daring, filled with an unidentifiable gleam. Daring found herself becoming entranced by those intensely burning eyes, only to be snapped out of her daze by the sound of breaking metal.

Turning back to Ahuizotl she found both him and his cats gone. She cursed under her breath, and only grew more frustrated when she found that the shadowy figure and hyenas had disappeared as well. Daring stood there for a moment, glaring at the spot where the figure had been, before slowly making her way out of the ancient temple.

* * *

That event had happened nearly a month earlier, but the event still plagued Daring's mind. It wasn't the fact that her arch enemy had gotten away that bothered her, he always managed to find a way to escape. It was the shadowy figure that constantly invaded her thoughts. Just who was that mysterious pony?

Daring shook the thought away, she would not let it bother her tonight. The museum she had given the necklace to was hosting a celebration, and she was determined to have a good time. So, dawning her favorite red dress Daring made her way to the party. Upon entering the ballroom, she was immediately met by a middle aged green stallion.

The museum curator and host of the celebration greeted her with a smile, "Ah, there's our guest of honor! So glad you could make it Miss Do, and again I would like to thank you for donating this brilliant discovery to us."

"It wasn't that big of a deal, really. I'm just happy that other ponies will get the chance to see and enjoy this discovery." Daring dismissed.

"Always so modest Miss Do. Oh! Before I forget, there's someone here I want you to meet. An old friend of mine's niece is here, she's training to become an adventurer much like yourself, and I think you'll like her." The curator insisted.

Daring nodded, "Of course, it's always a pleasure to meet a fellow adventurer. Please, lead the way."

With that Daring followed the green coated stallion through the crowded ballroom. They weaved their way toward the dance floor before the curator approached a group of ponies. He approached one pony in particular, a white pegasus mare. Daring could only see the left side of the mare, but what she saw peaked her interest.

Unlike the other mares here, she wore a black tuxedo instead of a dress. Her coat was mostly white in color, save for the brown patches on her hooves and snout, her black tipped ears, and the black heart around her left eye. She had a brown mane and tail, and her tail was tied with a green band. Her cutie mark resembled a card with suit symbols on it.

A charismatic aura seemed to surround her, giving her the appearance of worth listening to. She held herself with such grace and confidence that it was almost unreal, and what little Daring could hear of her voice was smooth and calming. The smile that played on the mare's lips gave Daring the impression that she was just as cool headed as she was confident.

When the white mare turned to look at her however, Daring's breath caught in her throat, and her whole body seemed to freeze on the spot as she found herself staring into a pair of bright green eyes. An unidentifiable gleam entered their emerald depths, and Daring couldn't help the image of the shadowy figure that flashed through her mind.

Daring shook her head to clear it, mentally scolding herself, _Get a hold of yourself! If this is gonna happen every time you see a green eyed pony, you're going to be in a lot of trouble._

"Miss Do, allow me to introduce you to Joker Cardheart, niece of the famous anthropologist Jester Spades. Miss Cardheart this is Daring Do." The curator introduced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Cardheart." Daring greeted.

Joker shook her head, "No, the pleasure is all mine, and please, call me Joker. Your reputation is well known among my uncle and his peers, you're quite the conversation starter. And I have to admit, I've been admiring you from a far for quite some time myself."

Daring couldn't help the small shiver that ran down her spine at her last words, or the light blush that seemed to form at the tone in which she said them.

Before she had a chance to reply however, the curator broke in, "Well, I'll leave you two to your business then, the night may be young but I have many other guests to attend to. Have fun now!"

With that he trotted off into the crowd, leaving the two mares in relative solitude. It was also at this time that the musicians began to play an exotic spanish number, causing the white mare's eyes to light up once more.

"Oh, this is an excellent song! I hope you don't think me too forward, but may I have this dance?" Joker asked, extending her hoof to Daring.

Much to her own surprise, Daring found herself accepting the outstretch hoof without much thought. Soon she found herself out on the dance floor, being lead into a breathtaking tango by the other pegasus. It appeared that Joker was every bit as graceful as she seemed.

"So, Joker, I've been told that you're working to become a professional adventurer yourself. How is that going?" Daring managed to force the question out, though it came out softer than she would have liked.

The white mare chuckled softly, "Indeed I am, in fact I've recently come into an apprenticeship with a rather experienced treasure hunter."

Daring's ears perked, and she began to relax, "Oh really? Not very many adventurers are willing to take on apprentices, you're very fortunate. Would it happen to be anyone I might know?"

"Oh, I'm sure you know him quite well, after all, you won the reason for tonight's celebration from him earlier this month. Mr. Ahuizotl sends his regards by the way." Joker explained to the now very stunned mare.

Daring's eyes were wide, her body numb as she continued to move to the music. Her mind was racing, trying to make sense of the situation and form a half decent sentence. Her gaze flicked to Joker's face, expecting a menacing glare or a mocking smirk or something to indicate she was indeed the apprentice of her arch enemy. So she was greatly surprised when she was met with caring eyes and a gentle smile.

"Y … Y-You were the figure!" She finally sputtered out in a hiss.

Joker nodded, "Yes, I was the pony in the shadows. I would like to apologize for that by the way, I was unaware that you could not see me. And I do hope Bonnie and Clyde didn't startle you, they have the tendency to be a little bit over protective."

Daring said nothing, how could she? She was so shocked by this sudden confession that the words got caught in her throat. Soon the song ended, and Joker slowly lead her off of the dance floor.

The white mare turned to face Daring, her expression now slightly playful, "Well, it's been absolutely amazing getting to know you, but I'm afraid it's getting late. I must be off, my uncle's waiting for me, and it looks like you could use a good night's sleep yourself." She turned to leave, but then glanced over her shoulder, "I look forward to seeing you again soon, my dear Daring."

With that Joker trotted off, disappearing into the crowd. By the time Daring snapped to her senses the other mare was gone, leaving her to gather her thoughts.

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Well? What do you think? Please read and review, but no flames please. If you have any questions or want me to clear something up don't be afraid to ask. If you see any spelling or grammar errors please tell me. Will upload more chapters at some point.

_Edit: I'm changing the context of the stories a little bit, instead of specific moments the stories are just going to be random one-shots in a way._


	2. Words and Roses

**My Dear Daring.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own MLP:FiM or Daring Do. I do however own Joker Cardheart._

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_Words and Roses._

Daring's heart pounded in her chest, the sound of her own rapid breathing ringing in her ears as adrenaline coursed through her body. All around her walls were collapsing and pieces of ceiling were crashing down, but she remained calm, keeping her eyes focused on the light at the end of the tunnel. With a final leap she escaped the collapsing temple. Seconds later the tunnel entrance was sealed shut, and the jungle grew quiet once more.

Daring gave a breathy laugh, dusting off her arrow filled hat, "Piece of cake, now, to go after Ahuizotl and the ruby of Simoset! Too bad I lost my saddle bag, it would make fining him easier."

Suddenly the sound of clapping was heard behind Daring, followed by an amused chuckle, "Well done, very impressive. I would expect nothing less from you, Daring."

Daring froze, she knew that voice all too well. Turning she found none other than Joker Cardheart standing behind her. An amused expression was plastered onto her face, lips curled into a cheeky smirk. Around her neck hung a half green, half black collar with a half green, half black tie.

"Joker, I should have guessed you'd be here too. Come to try your hoof at getting rid of me?" Daring growled, crouching into a defensive position.

"You wound me Daring, I wouldn't _dream_ of resorting to such barbaric methods. I simply came to return this to you." Joker scoffed, tossing Daring her saddle bag.

Daring's eyes widened, "How-?! Why are you doing this?"

Joker's smirk widened, "Don't act so surprised, I would have thought you'd be happy to know somepony's not trying to kill you for once. I may be Ahuizotl's protege, but that does not mean I will stoop to his level in order to win. I prefer to win the old fashioned way, by outsmarting my opponents."

"But _why_ are you helping _me_? You know I'll just end up beating you and stopping Ahuizotl from taking over the world." Daring demanded again.

"Because you've captured my interest, my dear Daring." Joker explained, "You provide a challenge, both mentally and physically. I could care less if Ahuizotl's plan fails or succeeds, all I care about is the thrill. And besides, it's no fun if there isn't somepony trying to stop you."

With that Joker turned and trotted off, disappearing into the thick jungle brush. Daring stayed where she was, trying to sort through her jumbled emotions. She was angry, she was relieved, but above all, she was confused.

Tucking her thoughts away for later Daring focused on the task at hoof. She soon caught up with a very frustrated Ahuizotl, and effectively put an end to his evil scheme. With the ruby safely in her possession Daring made her escape, catching a brief glance of Joker before she disappeared.

* * *

_You've captured my interest, my dear Daring. You provide a challenge, both mentally and physically._

Joker's words replayed in Daring's head over and over again as she trotted to her hotel, echoing through her skull like a broken record player. She tried to make sense of them, seeking some hidden meaning behind them, but she only grew more frustrated the harder she thought.

Is this all just a game to her? She thinks I'm just some kind of toy for her amusement? Daring wondered.

"Oh well, no use worrying about it now. First I'll get a good night's sleep, maybe that will clear my head." She sighed, entering her hotel room.

Tossing her saddle bag next to the bed Daring prepared for a nice relaxing shower, hoping the warm water would wash away her stress and thoughts. Before she entered the bathroom however, something caught her eye.

A single red rose lay on her bed, along with a small note. Placing the rose onto the nearby bedside table Daring opened the note, skimming over the neatly written words.

'_A rose for a rose, until next time, my dear Daring._

_Yours Truly,_

_Joker.'_

Daring read the note twice more before setting it next to the rose and entering the bathroom. Now Joker's words held a whole new meaning to the tan pegasus, and she was confused on a whole new level.

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Chapter two, sorry it's so short, please read and review. Feel free to ask me questions if you want something cleared up. Please tell me if you see any spelling or grammar errors.

_Edit: I'm changing the context of the stories a little bit, instead of specific moments the stories are just going to be random one-shots in a way._


	3. Blizzard Blessing

**My Dear Daring.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own MLP:FiM or Daring Do. I do however own Joker Cardheart._

* * *

_Blizzard Blessing_

The wind howled angrily all around Daring as the blizzard raged on. Snow whipped around her face, effectively blinding her and making it nearly impossible to find shelter.

_Why did I leave everything back at camp?_ Daring kicked herself mentally.

The arctic village elders had warned her of the impending storm, urging her to stay in camp until it had safely passed. But Daring had paid them no heed, insisting on exploring the surrounding area. She had left her supplies at camp, expecting a quick return, and now she was trapped in the raging blizzard with no means of survival.

She was shivering uncontrollably, nearly frozen to the bone, and she was growing exhausted. Weakly she continued on, desperately searching for any form of shelter. But, only a few minutes later, Daring collapsed. She fought to stay awake, but soon her eyes closed. She was numb, her body was failing her, and soon she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

The sound of dripping water slowly brought Daring into the conscious world. She groaned lightly, her head pounding and her throat dry and stinging, before blinking her eyes open. As her vision cleared, Daring realized two things. First, she was not dead. And second, she was in some kind of cave, covered by a heavy blanket that definitely did not belong to her and a cool rag on her head.

Swallowing a few times to wet her dry throat, Daring sat up, attempting to get her bearings. From the sound of things the storm had long since stopped, and she could now clearly hear the cracking of a camp fire. Relief washed over her at the thought of one of her crew members saving her from freezing to death.

Turning towards the source of the noise she was surprised to find, not one of her expedition crew members, but rather, a very worried and exhausted looking Joker preparing a soup over the fire. Her movements were tense and stressed, and an uncharacteristic frown curled her lips.

"Jo-?" Daring tried, but had to pause when her voice came out in a squeak, "Joker?"

The white pegasus jumped slightly before flicking her eyes toward the tan mare. The exhaustion quickly left her eyes, relief briefly flashing through them, before it was replaced with worry.

"You shouldn't be up, you need to rest." Joker whispered, her voice ringing in the stillness of the cave.

Daring frowned as confusion washed over her, "What … what happened?"

Joker trotted over to her, pressing her back into the makeshift bed with a gentle hoof. Bonnie and Clyde, who had been napping only a few short feet away, followed her. The two curled up on Daring's other side, between the adventurous mare and another temporary bed, presumably Joker's.

Dipping the fallen rage into some cool water Joker carefully placed it on Daring's forehead before explaining, "You were reckless, that's what happened. You got caught in that blizzard without any of your gear. You passed out practically in the middle of nowhere, it's a miracle I found you before you froze to death!"

The slight tremble in the white pegasus' voice did not go unnoticed by Daring, but she continued to press for information.

"How long have I been out?" She questioned.

"… Three days. You've been in and out of consciousness for three days, Daring. You've been waking up long enough to eat and drink, but otherwise you've been in pretty bad shape. And to top it all off, you got really sick, I just managed to break your fever this morning." Joker sighed.

Daring's eyes widened and she bolted upright, "Three days?! I've got to get back to camp!"

Before Daring could even throw off her covers she found herself pinned to the bed, a stern looking Joker hovering above her, "You're not going anywhere! You're still far too sick to move, so you will stay in bed until you're fit enough to do so!"

"But my crew-!" Daring began to protest.

"Has already been notified." Joker finished, trotting back to the fire to retrieve a bowl of soup.

"W-What?" Was Daring's shocked reply.

Joker placed the bowl beside Daring's head, helping to prop her up, "I sent Clyde back to your camp with a letter as soon as the storm cleared. They're more than happy to postpone the expedition until you've recovered."

At the sound of his name Clyde lifted his head to investigate. His fluff of a tail began to wag happily, and he gave a little yip before laying his head beside Daring's side. Before she could say anything else Joker trotted off, leaving her to eat in peace. Daring ate slowly, partially because she was sore, and partially because she was deep in thought.

She was touched by Joker's caring behavior, but she was also deeply worried. In the years they had known each other, even the few she spent under Ahuizotl's training, Daring had never seen Joker look so … serious.

She always wore a smile, a carefree glint in her green eyes as she teased or flirted. But now her lips held a frown, and her eyes were dull with worry. She hadn't even called Daring by her pet name! Daring glanced at the mare, and was surprised to see her yawning.

That's when she noticed that Joker's own bed had not been slept in, "Have you slept at all?"

"Hm?" Joker hummed, "Oh, I'm fine, don't worry about me. I'll catch up on my beauty sleep when you're all better."

"You shouldn't risk your own health just to take care of me. You need to sleep." Daring scolded.

Joker shook her head, "I told you I'm fine, it's you who needs to rest. Now, go to sleep, I'll wake you when dinner's ready."

Daring frowned, "I'm not sleeping until you do."

Yes, it was childish, Daring felt like a spoiled filly, but she was worried.

_She saved my life, it's the least I can do to make sure she doesn't get sick._ Daring reasoned with herself, but deep down she knew that wasn't completely true.

"… You're going to fuss until I agree aren't you?" Joker groaned.

"Pretty much." Daring admitted.

Joker sighed, giving in, "Fine, but if we miss dinner you're to blame."

Putting out the fire she trotted over to her own bed. Settling in she turned to face the tan mare, who by now had shifted to face her as well.

Daring grinned, "See? Now was that so bad?"

"Excruciating." Joker deadpanned, causing Daring to giggle.

"… Thanks for saving me Joker. Good night." Daring muttered, her eyes slowly closing.

A small smile crossed Joker's face, her own eyes sliding close, "You're very much welcome, my dear Daring. Sweet dreams."

* * *

That's it for chapter three, honestly I don't know how many chapters I'm going to upload, but I'll let you know when I figure it out. Anyway, you know what to do, please read and review. Feel free to ask me questions if you want something cleared up. Please tell me if you see any spelling or grammar errors.

Also, on a side note, feel free to follow me on Tumblr if you want to see pics of Joker and the gang. My blog name is Ask The Cardhearts, and of course my name is Joker-Cardheart. It's an ask blog, so feel free to shoot me a question!

_Edit: I'm changing the context of the stories a little bit, instead of specific moments the stories are just going to be random one-shots in a way._


	4. Family Fun

**My Dear Daring.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own MLP:FiM or Daring Do. I do however own Joker Cardheart._

* * *

_Family Fun._

"Ah, this is just what the doctor ordered! No books to write, not temples to discover, and best of all, no evil plans to stop!" Daring sighed in content, stretching lazily in her pool chair.

She was on a much needed and well deserved vacation at the most expensive resort in the Amazon. It was money well spent, in her opinion, as she was currently soaking up the sun beside the resort's beautiful crystal blue pool. Having abandoned her regular outfit of her vest and hat, Daring now wore a blue two piece swimsuit and sunglasses.

"Um, excuse me, miss?" A yellow coated, black maned unicorn stallion called out to her suddenly, "I don't mean to bother you, but are these seats taken?"

Daring shook her head, gesturing to the two empty pool chairs beside her, "No, be my guest."

The stallion grinned, bowing slightly before calling over his shoulder, "Thank you very much ma'am. Oh Jo-Jo, I found a spot!"

Daring hid an amused smile behind her drink.

"Uncle please, I told you not to call me that in public." A distinctly familiar voice groaned.

Daring nearly choked on her drink, _Joker?!_

Sure enough, only seconds later Joker came trotting into view. Her chocolate brown mane was tied into a ponytail, and instead of her usual collar and tie, she wore an unbuttoned red button shirt and a pair of half green half black swim trunks.

"Are you ok mi- … Daring?" Joker questioned, her eyes widening in recognition.

The yellow unicorn looked between the two mares, "Do you two know each other?"

Joker nodded weakly, not taking her eyes off Daring, "Yes, you could say we do. Uncle, this is Daring Do. Daring, this is my uncle Jester Spades."

Jester's eyes gleamed and his smile grew, "I see! So you're the feisty young mare that's caught my little Jo-Jo's eye eh?"

"Uncle!" Joker hissed, snapping out of her daze, her cheeks a bright shade of red.

"What? Oh, now don't give me that look Josephine, I just want to meet the mare you're always talking about." Jester feigned innocence.

A look of absolute horror crossed Joker's face and her blush grew. Daring, who had since recovered from her shock, burst into a fit of laughter, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

Once she had calmed down she managed to giggle out, "Your real name is _Josephine_?"

Jester nodded, "Yes, it's a lovely name, but of course she dislikes it. She came up with that ridiculous nickname on one of our digs, claiming that 'Josephine was no name for an adventurer.'"

"Celestia end me now." Joker groaned as she covered her face with her hooves.

"Don't be so dramatic _Jo-Jo_, sit down and relax." Daring teased.

Joker shot her a dirty look, but did as she was told, muttering under her breath "You're lucky you're cute, my dear Daring, very lucky."

Daring just giggled as she continued to mutter about 'embarrassing uncles' and 'adorable green swimsuits', and soon Jester was shamelessly sharing stories of Joker in her younger years.

_Oh yes_, Daring thought as she shot Joker a wicked look, _This vacation is well worth the expense._

* * *

Another short chapter, sorry, but please read and review anyway. Feel free to ask me questions if you want something cleared up. Please tell me if you see any spelling or grammar errors.

_Edit: I'm changing the context of the stories a little bit, instead of specific moments the stories are just going to be random one-shots in a way._


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